Latest information for snow-hit farmers on claiming hardship payments
23rd May 2013
Information is now available on how farmers in all areas of the UK can claim hardship payments from the Government:-
ENGLAND: The £250,000 pot of money from Defra is being distributed by the National Fallen Stock Company (NFSCo), but farmers do not need to be NFSCo members to apply. Each farm business will be able to claim up to 75% of the actual costs they paid for collection and rendering between 1st April and 15thMay 2013 (although this may be capped if the total of all the claims exceeds £250,000). NFSCo will automatically apply the subsidy to the accounts of its members living in the postcode areas listed by Defra, and non-members have until 30th June to submit an application form. Full details, including the list of eligible postcodes, are on the NFSCo website. Defra has told NSA the postcode list represents the areas where the Met.Office says snow fell deepest at the end of March, but farmers living outside those areas can still make an application to Defra. Applications from those areas must include additional evidence of the situation in their area (e.g. photos, details of where the sheep were grazing etc) and will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. NSA will do whatever it can to support members making such applications.
SCOTLAND: All farm businesses are eligible, regardless of location, but different rules apply if you have lost more or less than 30% of the average of your last three years of annual production, as explained on the Scottish Government website. Applications will be accepted from farmers who have lost 10% or more breeding ewes; reared 20% fewer lambs in 2013; lost 5% or more other breeding livestock; reared 10% fewer calves; and/or re-sown 20% or more of an arable crop. Application forms will be available from Monday 3rd June 2013 and must be completed by Friday 5th July.
NORTHERN IRELAND: DARD is automatically sending forms to the 1,300 farm businesses in NI that were eligible for free fallen stock collections during the snow. These will state a figure the farmer is eligible for based on the stock collected and offering £30 per lamb and £110 per ewe. The form must be signed and returned to DARD for the payment to be processed. No claims are being accepted from businesses outside the eligible area.
WALES: The situation remains the same in Wales, with the three farming charities still taking applications from individuals who contact them. Contact details are on the Farming Help website. We have yet to hear if the EU has given Wales permission to bring forward SFP payment dates.
